noun
clave
KLAH-vay
noun
1
A repeating rhythmic pattern used in Latin music, most famously the two-bar 3-2 son clave.
"The whole band locked into the clave before the horns came in."
How to Use Clave
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA signature rhythm pattern that anchors Latin and Afro-Cuban music.
Word Forms
claves plural
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The whole band locked into the _____ before the horns came in.
Etymology
From Spanish clave ("key"), from Latin clavis — the same root behind "clef" and "clavicle."